


Nintendo Switch (Part Two)

by skymageariel



Series: 31 days of The Dragon Prince [8]
Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fun, Gen, Modern, Modern AU, fliller
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:07:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26894170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skymageariel/pseuds/skymageariel
Summary: Ezran before the recital, struggles to come to terms with the fact that Callum wouldn’t be in the audience for his recital. Meanwhile, Callum wonders where he went wrong. The backstage crew meets a few struggles, but ultimately is able to help put on an amazing show.
Relationships: Rayllum (The Dragon Prince)
Series: 31 days of The Dragon Prince [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1946767
Comments: 4
Kudos: 33





	Nintendo Switch (Part Two)

“I just don’t understand why he wouldn’t want to come to the recital!” Ezran paced the living room, signing everything he could as he spoke. “Why can’t he just sit in the audience, why does he have to be doing something else?”

“I think he’s just your older brother. Teenage boys are confusing,” Amaya replied from her spot on the couch. 

“I know, but- just this once can he not be confusing!” Ezran flopped onto the couch next to where Amaya was sitting. “How do you sign  _ stage-lights _ ?” He spelled the word with his fingers. 

Amaya brings a hand just beside her head, fingers extended straight out, and moves the figure down an inch or two. With this new knowledge, Ezran exclaims; 

“I just wish he didn’ t have to work on lights!”

“If he didn’t, you would play in the dark”, Amaya offered. “I’m sure he just wants to help make this recital perfect.”

“I wish he didn’t have to,” he muttered. Amaya’s watch buzzed on her wrist.

“It’s 4:30,” she told him, “You have to be at school soon. Should you be getting ready?”

“I would, but Callum’s upstairs.” He said his brother’s name as if it were taboo. “I don’t want to see him right now.”

“You’re going to see him soon anyways,” she signed, standing. “I’m leaving now, which means you’re riding with him.” Ezran groaned and sank further into the seat of the couch. Amaya shook her head with a slight smile. “No matter what, know your brother loves you.” She slipped on a pair of sneakers by the door and headed out. As Ezran listened to the car start, and eventually leave, he decided that even if he had to see Callum, he wouldn’t say a word. He trudged upstairs, making his way closer to his room. But just as he reached the door, who appeared but Callum, leaving the bathroom with a toothbrush in his mouth.

“Hey, Ethran!” he said, muffled. “Ecthited for the rethital?” Instead of answering, Ezran slammed his bedroom door shut. 

—

“Ezran, we need to go!” Callum yelled through his brother's bedroom door.

5:00 rolled around, and the boys were already running late. Callum frantically tried to button the sleeves on his shirt, though he was having quite a bit of trouble. He was wearing all black, as per usual for a production team, exempt from the orange ribbon he’d tied around his wrist last october. Ezran stomped out of the room, in a white dress shirt and black slacks, complete with a burgundy bow tie. He looked great- except for the light up sneakers that had green and blue lights in the soles. Callum cringed.

“Please tell me you have dress shoes.”

“These are dress shoes,” Ezran seethed, stomping down the stairs, arms crossed. 

Callum shook his head. “Do you at least have your cello?” Ezran picked up his cello case, which was on its side by the door. He glared at Callum, case in hand. “Okay… is your bow in the case?” he asked. Ezran stuck out his tongue and opened the front door, heading out to the car. 

Callum shook his head, confused as he followed his little brother out to the car. Outside, Ezran practically shoved his cello in the backseat before moving up front, still livid. Callum got in the driver’s seat, looking over at his younger brother. 

“Seatbelt?” he asked. Ezran looked out the window. “The car doesn’t start until your seatbelt is on, Ez,” Callum told him. Ezran huffed, buckling anyways. “Okay, what is going on? This is out of character for you.”

“Wouldn’t you like to know, weather boy.”

“What?” Callum whispered to himself as he started the car. 

After an excruciatingly silent car ride, they pulled into the school. The parking lot was filled with cars and people on their way to get backstage and ready. Students all in classic concert attire- a sea of white shirts and black slacks filled the lot as everyone rushed into the building, parents kissing their kids goodbye as they parted ways until the concert. Ezran and Callum walked in the building together, but as soon as they got into the auditorium, Ez split off to join everyone else in the chorus room to warm up, and he didn’t even say goodbye. Callum watched him run off, more confused than before. 

The team met backstage, Callum interpreting for Amaya again as the conversation went on.

“Great dress rehearsal last night,” Soren congratulated the team. “We were all on the same page, lights and sound were tight-“

“Thank you,” Janai and Callum interrupted.

“No time! There’s a few hiccups we need to work out. For the tenth performance in act one, I’ve been informed by Gren that one of the kids has severe stage fright, so our job is to make sure the show goes on. Rayla, if he runs off, just tell the other kids to play anyways.”

“Put me on stage, sure,” Rayla rolled her eyes, “It’s not like I signed up to be backstage or anything.”

“No time! Also, Callum, light sixteen has shoddy wiring, so we moved light twelve to be in its place.”

“But I need light twelve for-“

“No time! Light two has replaced light twelve and twelve has replaced sixteen. Next up; Amaya, the orchestra teacher told me that they will be professionally recording the program to sell on a CD later. I was asked to help make sure that no parents in the audience are recording. I was gonna pawn that job off to you, but honestly, capitalism is a scam, so if you see someone recording, deal with it how you see fit. Anything else for the good of the order before we break and do a cue-to-cue run-through?”

“Yes.” Rayla raised her hand. “Will Gren be backstage to help with the kids?” 

“Yes, but these children are a team effort. Everyone backstage will need to help out and make sure the kids stay relatively quiet while an ensemble performs.” Soren flipped through the papers on his clipboard. “Only notes I have- Callum, don’t bring up the lights until Rayla or I are offstage, Janai make sure mics are off until lights come up, uhhh, Amaya, you’re perfect, never change, and Rayla and I need to be quicker on the set changes. Any other notes?”

“You think I’m perfect?” Callum read from Amaya’s hands. Soren looked over at her, to see her faking bashfulness. This woman’s sarcasm was astounding. 

“Okay, no one has any notes? Everyone in positions, the show starts in half an hour,” Soren said, and the team split up to their respective places. Janai headed up to the booth, Amaya made her way to the house. Soren and Rayla took their places backstage. Rayla stood by the curtain, headset at the ready, waiting for the cue to start, but Callum hovered behind her.

“What?” She whipped around, slightly annoyed that he wasn’t in position. When she saw his face, however, she softened. “What’s up?”

“Has Ezran said anything to you that was a little strange?” Callum asked. “He’s been acting strange ever since I told him I’d be running lights for the recital.”

“Well…” Rayla thought back to the conversation she and Soren had had with him the day previous. “I think he’s just a little upset. This is his first recital, and you’ll be focused on something else.”

“I’m still here, though,” Callum reasoned, beginning to pace. “I’m still gonna listen! And it’s not like I’m doing this for the money-“

“Hold up, hold up-“ Soren interrupted, “You only agreed after I told you that you’ be paid.”

“Yeah, because with the money, I finally have enough to get Ez the nintendo switch- all the kids in his class have one, and he’s been feeling really left out.” Callum took a step back. “I wanted it to be a surprise for him, but he’s been miserable all day.” Rayla and Soren exchanged a worried glance. 

“Look,” Rayla said, taking his hand, “He might not get it right now, but I know that as soon as he finds out the real reason you’re doing this, he’ll be ecstatic.”

“Yeah,” Callum let out a breath, nodding to himself. “Yeah, you’re right. He’ll be a little sad for now, and that’s my fault, but in the long run-“

“In the long run, he’ll understand,” Rayla assured him. “You’re a great older brother. Ezran is lucky to have you.”

Callum smiled weakly. “Thanks,” he said, planting a kiss on her cheek before rushing off to the booth. 

“Finally we can start the cue-to-cue runthrough,” Soren muttered. “This kid and his emotions always get in the way of my schedule.”

—

Ezran stood off to the side, watching as each group went on to perform. In between each set, Rayla and Soren rushed out to pick up chairs or move the piano, whispering frantically into the mics on their headsets. Rayla and Gren would help each kid on stage, pointing to where they were supposed to go. The kids would walk out, and the audience would applaud. It sounded like a lot of people, and Ezran was starting to get nervous. What if he forgot his piece halfway through? What if his cello was out of tune? What if, while he was walking out, he dropped his bow and it snapped in half? More and more students left to perform, and the numbers backstage dwindled until only Ezran was left. His fingers tapped the fingerboard of his cello as he mentally played through the piece without making any sound. Staring at the ground, he hummed the melody softly, making sure that he still had the piece memorized. It was the second to last set- Ezran was up next, and he started to shake with nerves. That’s when Soren came up to him, holding out his headset.

“Put this on,” he told him. Confused Ezran took the headset, placing it over his ears.

“Hey Ez, it’s Callum,” came a voice, muffled by the distance.

“Callum?” Ezran muttered.

“Listen, I know you’re mad at me, but I couldn’t let you go on before telling you how proud I am. I love you so much, and I know you’re going to be amazing!” He took a breath. “I’m sorry I’m not where you want me to be, but I will be here with you, no matter what. I love you! Good luck!”

Ezran pulled off the headset and handed it back to Soren just as the set before his ended. The lights went out, and Rayla went on stage to set up for Ezran’s performance. 

“Are you doing okay?” Soren asked, placing a hand on Ezran’s shoulder.

“Yeah,” he smiled. “I am.” Ezran walked out on stage with more confidence than before, smiling up at the booth, even though he couldn’t see it.

The lights came up and the audience clapped politely, some chuckling at his choice in light-up sneakers. He took his seat, tapping each string to make sure they were in tune, before striking his bow against the strings, letting the first chord of his first solo ever ring out across the entire auditorium.

From the booth, Callum watched in awe as his younger brother played. He was amazing- a prodigy. He never missed a note, never skipped a beat. Simply put, Ezran was the grand finale of the evening, and Callum couldn’t help but smile knowing how much work he’d put into this performance. As the piece ended, the crowd applauding and cheering, Janai came up into the booth, stepping in front of the light board.

“I’ll handle it,” she said to Callum, “You go congratulate your brother.” Giddy, Callum raced from the booth, down to the front of the auditorium, cheering with the crowd.

“That’s my younger brother!” he called. 

Ezran heard Callum’s voice from the crowd. He scanned the room- eyes landing on his brother. Only then did Ezran smile and take his bow. As soon as the house lights came up, he put down his cello and jumped from the stage, racing to give Callum a hug.

“You were amazing!” Callum laughed, “You outshone the whole rest of the concert!”

“I did?” 

“Yeah!” Callum wrapped his arms around him, squeezing tight. Before long, Amaya found them both. When she hugged Ezran, she lifted him and spun him around with ease, smiling all the way.

—

“Hey, Ez, could you come here for a sec?” Callum called from his room. It had been a few days since the recital, and he’d finally bought his gift for Ezran. It sat in a box on his desk, covered in snowflake wrapping paper, even though Christmas was still months away. Ezran bound into the room, completely unaware. 

“What’s up?”

“I got you something,” Callum smiled, picking up the box and handing it to his younger brother.

“What? Why?”

“Because I love you,” he shrugged. “Duh.” Ezran tore away the wrapping paper, spotting the white Nintendo logo over a bright red background. His eyes widened in surprise.

“This is for me?” he asked, in complete shock. Callum nodded. Before he even finished opening the box, Ez ran up and tackled him with a hug.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! hope you enjoyed part two of nintendo switch! i would like to also say that tomorrow’s upload is probably one of my favorite pieces, so stick around for that!


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